Ubisoft “deeply disturbed” by damning reports of abuse at Assassin’s Creed Shadows support studio

Ubisoft has responded to a damning report of mental and physical abuse at Indonesian support studio Brandoville.

The studio provided assistance to Ubisoft on the forthcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows, though it closed in August last year, after which reports of abuse emerged.

“We are deeply disturbed by the recent reports surrounding Brandoville Studios,” an Ubisoft spokesperson told Eurogamer. “We strongly condemn all forms of abuse, and our thoughts are with the affected employees.”

Yesterday a report from People Make Games detailed allegations of abuse by Brandoville commissioner Kwan Cherry Lai, who ran day-to-day operations of the studio.

Before its closure, the studio provided art and animation support for games like Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Age of Empires 4.

However, reports allege from 2019 to the studio’s closure in 2024, Lai abused multiple employees. This ranged from imposing a strict work schedule and daily Christian worship, to forcing an employee to write lines like a schoolchild, humiliating her in front of colleagues, and demanding a video of her slapping herself a hundred times as punishment.

Other abuse includes controlling the finances of employees and overworking a pregnant employee, whose prematurely born son sadly died after four months in intensive care.

You can watch the full report in the video above, though be aware it contains harrowing content and footage.

Eurogamer has also contacted Age of Empires publisher Microsoft, though a response is yet to be issued.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows will launch next month, following a delay in November.